The Apple Seed

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about discovering hidden talents, learning through mistakes, and using gifts in an effective way. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:12) "My First Story" by Lyn Ford. A humorous childhood story about the moment Lyn discovered her natural talent for storytelling after getting in trouble. (09:02) "Mastering the Craft" by Sam Payne...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about how combining wit and willingness can help you achieve the things you want most. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:02) "God and Time" by Mara Menzies. A fascinating creation folktale exploring how it was decided how long humans and animals would live on earth. (09:41) "Heaven's Help" by Sam Payne. Sam shares a heartfelt p...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the joys and hardships of life and the ways both can shape our hearts for the better. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:51) "The Hour of the Doves" by Noa Baum. A touching and heartfelt story about the small but meaningful ways Noa’s grandmother helped her connect with their family’s religious traditions and heritage. (16...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the joy, wisdom, and life lessons discovered in the most unexpected places. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:26) "Gold Coins" by Kim Weitkamp. A touching and insightful story about Kim’s experience discovering unexpected wisdom and human connection through conversations with customers in her yarn shop. (14:08) "Lunch wit...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the inspiring, healing, and connecting power of nature. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:20) "World's Second Best Dad" by Antonio Sacre. A humorous and relatable story about Antonio’s unforgettable experience when taking his family on a whale watching expedition. (12:26) "Little Moment in the Big City" by Sam Payne. Sam...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the powerful impact sports have on our lives. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:18) "Devil on Horseback" by Geraldine Buckley. A heartfelt and humorous story from Geraldine's childhood about the time she became a wrestling fan thanks to the influence of her great aunt. (09:40) "From Fan to Player" by Sam Payne. Sam shares...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about hospitality and its many forms. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:12) "The Cow That Ate the Piper" by Bill Harley. A humorous and outlandish tale about a traveling piper who seeks shelter for the night in a barn, only to encounter unexpected chaos and comedy. (11:35) "A Surprising Safe Haven" by Sam Payne. Sam shares a me...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the people, memories, and life-changing moments that leave a lasting influence on our lives. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:19) "Mrs. Ort" by Kim Weitkamp. A heartfelt story about Kim's third grade teacher and the lasting impact she had on Kim's life and personal growth. (15:11) "Friends and Influence" by Sam Payne. Sa...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about how the quest for food can turn into a hilarious battle of wits. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:23) "Punia and Kaialeale" by Alton Takiyama-Chung. A Hawaiian folk story about a clever young man who must outsmart the powerful King of the Sharks to bring food home for his family. (11:54) "Chocolate Cookie Mischief" by Sa...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about how small actions can have big impacts on the world. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:27) "Bil and Skeeter Break the Ocean" by Bil Lepp. A story about a hilarious family vacation that gets Bil thinking about the impact he may have on the world. (17:18) "Deciding to Make a Difference" by Sam Payne. A story about a small d...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about finding light even in the darkest of places. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:36) "Book Every Saturday for a Funeral" by Andy Offutt Irwim. A tall tale about Aunt Margarite, a southern belle who goes to visit her ill best friend. (21:32) "Blessed & Sacred" by Sam Payne. A story about experiencing loss and light together....

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about how actions lead to meaningful, and often fitting consequences. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:12) "Too Much Hair" by Donald Davis. A hilarious and relatable story about a young boy who secretly gives his little brother a haircut, only to face the consequences when things don’t go as planned. (12:43) "Snowball Bushes"...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about riddles, one of the oldest forms of entertainment. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:47) “The King and the Three Dolls” by Debs Newbold. A captivating tale of a riddle-loving queen challenged to discover the difference between three “identical” dolls. (14:18) “My Most Memorable Riddles” by Sam Payne. Sam shares unforgetta...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about how sometimes less is more and when you have more, maybe it's time to give. (00:00) Intro by host, Sam Payne. (01:21) "The Fisherman and His Wife" by Antonio Sacre. A German fairytale that has been told many times in many ways, and here is Antonio Sacre's version. (09:21) "The Mall Food Court" by Sam Payne. A story about a time whe...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about music tastes over generational gaps. (00:00) Intro by host, Sam Payne. (01:04) "Mom and the Radio" by Bill Harley. A story and a song about kids that don't enjoy their parents old school music tastes. (12:10) "Charlie Brown the Musicals" by Sam Payne. A story about three musical renditions of the Charlie Brown stories. One with all...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about neighbors and how they can be a great influence our lives and the lives of our children. (00:00) Intro by host, Sam Payne. (1:30) "Corporal Smith" by Donald Davis. A story about a time in elementary school, when Donald interviewed the neighborhood highway patrolman and got a little first hand experience about what the job is like....

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about bridging the gap between different parts of ourselves and our lives. (0:00) Intro by host Sam Payne. (01:48) "How I Became a Bilingual Teacher" by Jasmin Cardenas. A story about when Jasmin was Story Bus Educator, meaning she drove around in what she calls a museum on wheels and visited elementary schools. At one particular school,...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about finding unexpected adventures. (00:00) Intro by host Sam Payne (01:30) "Lessons from East Berlin" by Bil Lepp. Bil's story about visiting East Berlin on a high school exchange program and being cornered by a huge guard. (13:50) "My Trip to Japan" by Sam Payne. A story about a trip to Japan where good guides led Sam through unfamili...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about rodents, and uncommonly heroic ones at that. These mice and this gerbil may have a lesson or two to teach you about the consequences of the choices we make. (00:00) Introduction by host, Sam Payne. (01:25) "Mice Make Peace" by Dovie Thomason. A story about the mice that live among Haudenosaunee. The mice live a peaceful life until...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the rules the we both grow up with and the ones we learn that guide us through life. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:24) "Opossum and Snake" by Lyn Ford. A story about a sneaky snake trying to trick a gullible possum into ignoring what his parents had taught him. (13:34) "My Code of Life" by Sam Payne. A story about gro...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers. Both of today's stories are based on classic tales such as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Jack and the Beanstalk. Our storytellers have taken their own spin and fractured these classic tales to give us something new. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:45) "So What and Drop Dead" by Willy Clafin. This is told by Maynard Moose,...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the act of giving and the act of being given to in times of need. Those acts can be some of the best moments for reflection and growth. (0:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:32) "Canned Beets and Peas" by Bil Lepp. A heartfelt story about how Bil first learned who the poor were and how his donations to his local canned food dr...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers. This weeks' stories features traditional and modern ballads, one of the world’s oldest storytelling forms, used for centuries to preserve epic events, big emotions, and pivotal moments in human history. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:26) "Barbara Allen" by Josh Goforth. A traditional ballad, "Barbara Allen," which is more t...

Today we bring you a special bonus episode featuring some of the National Youth Storytellers. (00:00) Sam's Intro (1:22) June Elyse Willingham tells a traditional folk tale, "Lazy Jack." (9:29) Tessa Taggart tells an original story based on one of her ancestors called "Tessa's Mostly True Story." (15:44) Ender Rasmussen shares an original folktale called "How Sparrow Earned Its Wings." (19:50) Ann...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about how catastrophizing everyday problems can turn simple disagreements into lasting conflicts and how self-awareness can be the solution. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:14) "Bastianello" by Donna Washington. A humorous story in which a newly married couple and their in-laws become consumed by a problem that hasn’t yet occ...